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Tuesday, 29 October 2013

Somerset wildlife

Somerset woodland

Inside the enchanted wood

Sometimes, life can exceed expectations in the best of ways. A few weeks ago I went to spend a day with the Quantock Beaders. They meet in a hall on the edge of beautiful woodland. I love to arrive early so I can talk a walk through the woods before class.

Quantock Beaders discover a new bug

This time we were making the glass beetle design, Quantock Beaders are special, they have a huge membership and I was more than a nadge worried when I got the call to prepare for about 40 students. We bead artists can be sensitive folk and usually anticipate 15 in a class, and the beetle has some intensively fiddly moments. My fretting was, as it transpired, entirely without foundation, because the Quantock gang create a brilliant atmosphere which makes teaching them a lovely experience, no really... and they teased me for panicking!

So there we were in the beautiful woods creating creepy crawlies, and all around us the trees were waiting to exhale the first shades of autumn, ripe blackberries and scatterings of beechnuts a sure sign that the seasons will change, ready or not.

Each one a little jewel

At the end of class, I suggested that once all the beetles were finished, the group should take them out and photograph them. The woods border the Hestercombe estate famous for it's gardens and I suggested it might be fun to show the gardeners the new genus of beetle hatching in the undergrowth.
I was so delighted when the girls sent me these pictures of their colourful beetles, everyone in class was able to finish their creation, and for me, it's a real treat to see so many colour variations together.
Can't wait for next years class!